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5 thoughts on “Mississippi Damned (Day #8)”

Mississippi Damned
Reaction:
I think this movie not only captures the daily struggles for anyone in living in a broken home and on poverty, but also the struggles that are stereotyped to a black community. While reading this article and the problems each character had to face, I thought to myself, “wow what a heavy and intense movie”, but it’s the harsh realities of living in a broken world. I think that this movie would shed light on the complicated relationship between parents and children and the choices that the children have to make coming from broken homes and living with the mistakes made by their parents. This movie not only shows the struggle of the main character, but how she doesn’t need to be saved by a white person to come out of the brokenness of her home.
Questions:
1. Why are movies like this, which shed light on the harshness of broken families in America hard to watch?
2. Why that is when we depict broken families living in broken communities, the story follows black families?
3. America is seen as one of the most powerful countries, but we can’t admit the problems such as these communities, with that thought why as a culture are fixated on fixing other countries, yet we can’t focus on our own problems as a countries such as helping build up these broken communities?
Quotes:
“Mississippi Damned is a rare, exceptional film, one that covers enormous amounts of emotional territory and manages to impart sadness and hope in equal measures.” –Danielle Riendeau
“With that much weight — combined with the additional heaviness that comes with any examination of poverty — one would think that the film would crash under it’s own gravitas. But carried by strong performances and assured direction, Mississippi Damned flows very well” – Danielle Riendeau
“The movie shies away from very little, connecting all of the invisible dots that lie in between victims and abusers, shining light on the reasons why events have transpired the way they have. Violent scenes are staged and shot straight up, with a dynamic camera that refuses to pan away from the ugliness. Depictions of sexual violence are a bit more implicit — though no less disturbing.” –Danielle Riendeau

I think this movie shows the struggle of a broken home and the downfalls in the black community. There are a lot of stereotypes going on in the movie and it shows a great big deal of them. I can some what relate to this movie, because I’m an young African American and I see half my relatives end up in a broken home due to alcohol, abusive fathers, gang violence and financial problems. So I can say I’ve grown up in that environment. But things I read and seen in the previews are real life problems that’s going on in todays society. I can also say that as a child its not very easy seeing a broken home. Seeing a broken home can make a child say or do things that they will regret later, it can also ruin a child ability to interact with other relatives or kids at school. The relationship between the parents and the kids can be broken very easily if the kids feel that they are in danger of losing things that makes them happy. I feel when a white person sees a black family struggling they will always lend a hand and try to help out anyways they can.

Questions: 1.Did the producer add anything else to the movie to show the real life struggles of a broken home?
2.Why is that when white people see young black people struggling they lend a hand?
3. Why are these community problems not seen as a big deal to the American people?

Quotes:“Mississippi Damned is a rare, exceptional film, one that covers enormous amounts of emotional territory and manages to impart sadness and hope in equal measures.”
“Their parents and close friends are all struggling — with money, with addictions, with violent histories and difficult pasts.”
” the time period shifts to the late 1990s, the children grow older and begin to repeat the mistakes their parents have made — sometimes they make entirely new ones. The older generation struggles with all their former problems, with illness and age wearing them.”

This movie tells about the struggle a family in Mississippi endures. The power of people in our everyday society has. This movie shows how a family should stick together when times are hard. Turning your back on your family members when times are hard is something you should not do. Each character in this movie goes through their own struggle within the family and society. As I read this article, I thought about how movies make the black or minority families struggle. But in this movie this family struggle is a good thing. By them struggling, it brings the family closer together. In this movie you have characters trying to find themselves in life and their sexuality. This movie is exactly what the real world is. The main character, the woman, shows exactly how strong a woman can be in society. She doesn’t go running into the arms of white people, but stays strong and believes in herself. That is life right their.

Questions:
1. In this movie, why do you think they focused on the girl being a lesbian so much? I don’t think her sexuality has to do as much the struggle with her education and being financially stable.
2. Do you think that society is making it hard for her just because she is a woman or could it be because of the fact that she is poor?
3. What does the mother and father do to help her out?
4. Did she fight back against the abuse? I can tell that she is a strong black woman and by her being strong you would think that she wouldn’t have taken the abuse.

Quotes:
“It’s depressing, sure, but Kari somehow stays determined to grow into something more. She aspires to go to college and become a professional musician, even after she suffers from sexual violence at a young age and constant financial pressure to stay and help support her family.” (Danielle Riendeau)
“It’s the sort of heartbreak that most queer women have experienced before — presented with brutal honesty. How she deals with this event comes to define her as an adult.” (Danielle Riendeau)

I feel the director’s whole purpose in creating this movie Mississippi is to touch on some very deep dark and important issues in very compelling was. The review reveals that this movie impacts many south Americans in there struggles with racisms and poverty. I am really looking forward into watching this movie because I have dealt with issues like that growing up and this movie has it all from the fight to find many ways to get money to the slang in the streets. I know the struggles of doing all you can to survive and from reading the review it looks like it is going to touch on some of that. This film spark in 1986 and was talking about a Mississippi family, that was based on a true story talking about a girl named Kari who expresses her stories and struggles through everyday life. The director Tina Mabry whole purpose seems to be to show the audiences the real reality of struggling. The director nailed on a lot of issue that some every day black Americans go through such as rape, child abuse, domestic violence, illness, death, imprisonment, child molestation, addiction, mental illness and abandonment. From what it looks like this movie can be very touching and help many Americans that deal with issue get through because can relate to what they are seeing on the screen. I think watching this film will bring wisdom to how to deal with this everyday life situation.
Quotes
“The good thing about getting old you can see 20/20”
“With that much weight — combined with the additional heaviness that comes with any examination of poverty — one would think that the film would crash under its own gravitas”.( Danielle Riendeau)
Questions
Did this movie when an Award?
If you had the same struggles would this movie help you are make you think about it?
Was there a happy ending?
Were there some fight in the young girl?

Reaction:
I think this movie will be about a family in Mississippi that endures many struggles while showing how much power people in our generation have. After reading the review about this movie, I was very interested, Danielle Riendeau said “the children grow older and begin to repeat the mistakes their parents have made” in which older generation struggles and problems shift to the younger generation. I liked this quote by Riendeau because parent’s decisions are big issues throughout inner cities communities. Children in inner cities tend to do what they see others do, we all as kids had someone we looked up to and if your dad is a drug dealer then that is what you would most likely do when you get older unless you have someone else to push us in the right direction. But sometimes there are those who make it out such as the character Kari who despite when faced with all negative odds are willing and determined to grow into something more than what her parents were and what others expect of them. I believe that this movie will shed some light on the struggles between family and friends that money, addictions, and the want to succeed causes. This movie will also show what the typical life of an inner city, seems like a very motivating movie for those who have less than others.
Quotes
1. “There’s enough drama to fill about six seasons of General Hospital, with the tacking of such issues as rape, child abuse, domestic violence, illness, death, imprisonment, child molestation, addiction, mental illness and abandonment”.
2. “As the film goes on and the time period shifts to the late 1990s, the children grow older and begin to repeat the mistakes their parents have made — sometimes they make entirely new ones. The older generation struggles with all their former problems, with illness and age wearing them further”.
3. “It’s difficult to find fault with Mississippi Damned — it’s clearly a personal, important piece of work from a very talented filmmaker”.
Questions
1. Does the family try to help Kari chase her dreams? (Saving money, loans, etc.)
2. Why does our society make it harder on poor income families to accomplish their dreams and goals? Does the young boy ever get to chase his dreams of being a basketball player?
3. Why is it when we think of poor income communities, the first thing that comes to mind are blacks? I never have seen a Hollywood or movie theater movie about white poor people struggling to get by.